Camera-support.



115.168,98?. Y Mms-'TED 11.56.313, 1904. M. GRAF.

CAMERA SUPPORT.

APPLICATIOF FILED JAN.13.1904.

E0 EUDBL.

INYENTOH ITNESSES:

M 8 y h 9141?@ MQ i A rromv rs Patented August 30: 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN GRAF, OF TUCK'AH'OE, NEW YORK.

oAmenA-SUPPORT.

SPECIICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,987, dated August 30, 1904. )splication 61nd Januar; 13. IBOL Serial No. 188,845. No modul.) l

.To nfl wltoml it may concern:

Be i: known that I, MARTIN Gram-,an citizen of the United States, and a residentof Tuckahoe. in the county of 'estchester and State of New York, 'nave invented a new and Improved Camena-Support, of which ythe following is a full, clear. and exact description.

This invention relates'to means for adjust- 1 ably supporting a camera upon a tripod, and has for its ob'ject lo provide novel details of construction for a camera-support which are simple, practical, and inexpensive, alording convenient means for quickly and reliablt ad justng parts of the same to spread apart'and hold the legs of a tripod at a desired degree of divergence and also enable the accurate adjustnient of details of the' improvement fo'r elevating, depressing, or leveling the hodyhf a camera as may be necessary for its proper use.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafterdescribed, and defined in the appendedclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forzninga part of this specification,

in which similar 'characters'of reference indiiof a bracket employed, vseen in the direction of the arrow :cin Fig. L Fig. 5 is a frag mentary side View of a detail of the invention, showing a modified construction therefor. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view substantially on the line 6 6 in Fig. 5,land Pig- T is a' perspective view of asprng-pressed latching device employed to permit rotatable movement of the camera on a tripod at a desired height. e

The supporting-tripod for a camera which embodies details of the invention compris-esa head-plate 5 and three legs 6, that are jointed uponA the lower side of the head-plate by the I pivots o, tlat pass through the upper ends of the legs. and likewise engage ears or similar l projections o', formed on said plate, as indicated'in Fig. 1 for two of the legs. From the Center of the preferably circular and fiat headplate 5 a boss is erected that is centrally and vertically perforated, and in said perforation a shaft i is loosely Iitted. The shaft 7 for a portion of its length ext/end ing from the lower end upv'ard i.-. rendered cylindrical, this pori tion having slidahle engagement within the i perforation of the boss and at preferably equal distances apart a number of annular grooves c are formed therein, the series ex- Q tending from the upper flattened portion 7 Fig. I. At one side ofthe boss fi and suitably spaced therefrom a guide-flange is erected on the head-plate 5. ln the same horizontal plane a single perforation is formed in the guideangc 5 and side wall of the bossb, these alined perforations receiving the loosely l fitted locking-bolt a', that is adapted to en- 1 gage its end that may pass through the boss within any one of the grooves c. A springd' is mounted on the bolt al between the boss b and opstanding ange 5, said spring pressing upon a projection a." on the bolt at the end of the spring that is nearest to the boss and at the other end thereof upon the ange which adapts said spring to force the bolt inward.

Upon the projecting outer end of the locking-bolt d a handle-lever (P is formed or se cured, which projects laterally therefrom, and upon the outer side of the guide-flange 5 a cani-shaped lug or projection 5" is formed, that the handle-lever d will ride upon when Vsaid lever is turned toward the cam. It will he Seen that the degree of projection of the cam formation 5" is such that when the lever d rides thereon the iockingbolt djwill be drawn outward snnciently to release the inf ner end of said bolt from a groovecin the shaft 'l' it may have been bedded in, which will permit the shaft to receive vertical adjustment in the boss b; so as to elevate or de- 1 press said shaft In the lug having the cam formation 5" an indentation affording a shoul- I der d is formed below the cam. wherein the lever J may be seated in contact with said shoulder, which will retain the handle-lever l in a position for retraction of the bolt d until of the shaft to the lower end, as indicated in.

said lever is rocked away from the lng and the stress; of the .spring J' is perniii-ted to press the holt inward.

r/ u hen engaged within any one of the groovesJ 5 will be adapted for holding the shaft 7 at a desired point of vertical adjustment and at the Vsame time permit the shaft and parts it sustains on its portion T to hefreely rotated in either direction. ln a. tapped perforation 1o forint-d in the wall of the boss-; a set-screw 'E' is inserted, hai-inge suitable head on its outer f end for convenient manipulation, and, as

shown in Fig. 1, the flat inner end of the setscrew maj.' be forcibly impinged upon the shaft 7 for the retention of said shaft at a desired point of elevation in the boss L.

Upon the portion of the shaft 7 that extends below the head-plate 5 a runner-box or retaining member S is loosely mounted and prefer- 2o 'ably held at any desired point thereon by the following means: In the side of the runnerbox 8 a tappe-d hole is formed that receives E the .set-screw y, whichV may be normally adjusted hy means of a head on the outer end of 1 the set-screw.

by bending .short flanges on its ends which bear upon respecti ve upper and lower sides j 3o of the runner-box, and, as indicated in Figs.

plate 5 a clip-band t is secured upon a respective tripod-leg 6. and between the runner-box 8 and clip-bands the three similar connecting-rods 9 are extended, having their upper -ends pivoted at equal distances apart upon the runner-box and their lower ends loosely secured upon .the clip-bands, asbest shown in Fig. 3. 1t will bc seen that the upward sliding movement of the runner-box 8 will fold the legs 6 toward each other, and such an adjustment may be secured by means of the setscrew g, the release of the set-screw and downward-sliding adjustment of the runner-box serving to, spread apart the legs 6, as may be desired, the box being held at a desired point by screwing the point of the set-screw against the clamping-plate g', as already described.

1t will furthermore be apparent that if the boss l: is released from the shaft 7 by a proper adjustment of the locking-bolt d and the setscrew i the legs 6 may be moved outward or inward. any desired degree by simply taking j hold of the Md-plate 5 and lowering or ele- 6o vating 1t, as occasion may require.

Upon the dat. portion 7 of the shaft 7,

which extends above the boss a -segmentplate 10 is pivoted, the pivot-bolt i being at the radial center of an arched slot lc, which 1 may be prox idcd with a series of gear-teeth 1t will be seen that the bolt v In the bore of the box 8 a v'ertical channel is formed, wherein the clampl ing-plate y' is embedded and heid from release l" along one curved edge, as shown in Fig. 1, f or said edge may be left smooth, as appears in Figs. 5 and at x, wherein the segmentplate is desig ttf-d by the reference-character 10. Centrally from the upper edge of the 70 f segment-plate and ata right angle thereto a flat plate-likearm 11 is projected` having a suitable width :o afford support for a segment-plate 12. that is shown of less size than the segment-pizze 10, butotherwisc is similar thereto, having :1 series of teeth m' formed along a curved eige that defines one side of the arched slot 1. therein. The segment-plate 12 is preferably formed integral with a baseplate or carrier 13, that projects laterally from the upper port-ion of said segment-plate ata right angie thereto, as is indicated in i Figs. 1 and 4. .-'tt a point in the upper part l of the segment-plate 12 and in the radial ceni ter of the arched .slot m a perforation n .is l formed, that receives the pivot-bolt n',which is inserted through asimilar perforation in i the arm 11,and upon the threaded portion of j the headed pivot-holt n' a nut u is screwed, j which loosely secures the `segment-plate 1 2 90 upon the side of said arm l1, as is shown in l Fig. 1.. 1 The base-plate- 13 is of a suitable area to 1 afford stable support for the box-like body of l a camera A when the latter is secured thereon, which attachment is effected hy means of l a'clamping-scre o, which passes loosely up through the base-plate and screws intoa per-` foration i'n the bottom of the camera box or body. A slnalt pinion m2 is provided with a roughcncd head i fon one end and acyiindrical bolt extension 11,* on the opposite end, said l bolt havinga suitable thread formed on it projecting beyo :.d the upright arm 11` through `a perforation in which the bolt-body is in- Serted after the pinion m is engaged within 1 the slotm and s meshed with the teeth m'. 1 Upon the bolt-body m a nut m is screwed, i the nut having a handle-lever mvformed on it, which enable-.s a clamping adjustment of` Il the nut to be produced by a rotatable adjustment of the handle-lever in a proper direci tion. It will be seen that if the nut m is islackened'the pinion m 4may7 be rotated a i proper degree to rock the base-plate 13 for a y115 i ceive rocking motion in either direction on the pivot i by provision of a small pinion r, z that is formed on a cylindrical shaft or bolt f, journaled in a perforation in the flattened shaft extension TL and projected therethrough 4 a suitable distance. Upon, the other end of l the pinion Ta headed enlargement/ is formed, g which affords a shoulder for contact upon the segment-plate' 10 and provides means for manually turning the pinion in either direction. The portion of the bolt la' thatextends i through the shaft extension 7 is threaded and receives the nut ",\vhich is formed on one end of a handle-lever l, and it will be seen that if the not is slaclrened by a proper movement of the handle a manual adjustF ment of the pinion may be effected b v means of the head so as to rock the segment 10 in either direction in a vertical plane at a right angle to or intersecting the vertical plane in which the `arched segment-plate 1Q is held und adapted `to receive rocking adjustment.

1t will be obvious that the provision of the handle-levers m and F to operate the nuts m and respectively, is very advantageous, as it enables the quick and reliable'clamped securing of the arched segment-plates 10 12 at any point of rocked adjustment given thereto. lt will also be seen that there is coperation between the means just described for inciining the camera A at any desired angle in two vertical planes at right angles to each other 'and the means for elevating, lowering. or turning the camera around on the tripod that supports it, as by the latter-mentioned provision n practical adjustment in every direction majv be prod uccd at will and the camera be secured at any adjustment given to it'by the improved adjustable support.

In Figs. 5 and the segment-plate 10 shown isdevoid of teeth in the slots, that isin other respects similar to the slot 1 in the segmentplate 10, said segment-plate receiving pivotal support upon the fiat upward extension 7 of the shaft 7 bya pivot-boltt, this pivotfbolt representing the radial centerof the arched slot s, A clamping-bolt u., having a lever-handle u' formed or secured on one end, is threaded upon the opposite lend that screws into c tapped hole in the flat upper extension of the shaft-6" lt after passing through the arched slot s. will be seen that by rocking the lever-handle u' in one direction the segmenbplate 10` will be loosened from the support 7", so that the segmentplate may be rocked more or less in either direction, as may be desired. Then an opposite rocking movement of the lever-handle will screw the threaded end of the clamping-bolt u into the part 7 of the shaft 7 sufficiently to bind the segment-plate 10* thereon and hold it as adjusted until another adjustmontisreqiiired. Obviouslyeithermeans may be employed and serve eliciently for the retention'of the segment-plates 10 or 10 at any point of rockcd'adjustment, this slight change in construction being equivalent to that hereinbefore described for securing the segmentplates on their supports.

It will be observed that as the legs 6 of the tripod are all moved an equal degree the provision of the two arched segment-plates 10 12 and their means for clamping adjustment at a desired angle in planes at right angles to each other compensates for any deviation from a perpendicular position, which may be had by the tripod if it is stood upon a side-1 L hill or upon uneven ground ata. selected point for taking a. picture with the camera.

Slight changes in minor details of the device may be rortcd to within thc scope of A.head and retaining member.

2. The combination with a shaft, of a head and a retaining member movable relatively thereto, legs pivotnily connected with the head and retaining member, and means fox-securingthe retaining member to the shaft. 3. The combination with a shaft, of a head and e retaining member movable relatively thereto, legs pivotally connected with the head and retainingmember, and independent means for securing the head and retaining member to the shaft.

4. The combination with a shaft. ofa head end a. runner-box movable relatively thereto,

and connecting-rods pvoted to the legs and to the runner-box.

5. The combination with a shaft, of a head and e runner-box movable relatively thereto. connecting-rods pivoted to the legs and to the runner-box, and set-screws threaded through the head and runner-box and exerting their pz essure against the shaft.

6. The combination with a grooved snaft, of a head and retainingmember movable relatively thereto, legs pivot/ally connected with the head and retaining member, and means carried by the head for coacting with the grooves.

7. A support comprising a. head, legs pivoted to the head, a member movable through and rotatable in the head, a carrier mounted upon the movable member, and interposed means for adjusting the carrier on the movable member in intersecting planes.

8. A support comprising a head, legs pivoted tothe head, a shaftxnovuhlo through and rotatable in the head, and a carrier pivotnlly mounted upon the shaft toswing in intersecting planes.

9. A support comprising a head, legs pivoted to the head, a shaft movable through and rotatable in the head, a retaining member mounted upon the shaft., connectorsbetiveen. the legs and retaining member, a carrier mounted upon the shaft, and means for ad justing the carrier in intersecting planes.

10. A support comprising a head, legs pivoted to the head. a shaft movahlethrough and rotatable in the head, a retaining member mounted upon the shaft, means for securing the head and retaining member upon the shaft. connectors between the` legs and retaining IOO ' member.

nienioer, a carrier mounted upon the shaft.

and means for adjusting the carrier in intersecting planes..

11. A supportfor cameras and other articles. comprising a head, hinged legs supporting the head, a member having rotary and vertical movement relatively to said head. and devices carried by said head for establishing connection between the said member and the camera or other article to be supported, said devices having adjustment in two vert-ical planes at about right angles to each other.

12. A support for cameras and other articles, comprisingr a head, hinged legs supporting the head. a member having rotary and vertical movement rclativelyto said head, devices carried by said head for establishing connection between the said member and the bamera or other article to be supported, said devices having adjustment in two vertical planes at about right angles to each other, and means for preventing said movements of said 13. A support for cameras and other articles, comprising ahead, hinged legs for the head, connections between the several legs, a member having vertical and rotary movement relatively to said head and said connections,' and devices carried by said member for holding the camera or other article, said devices including means adjustable in two directions,` at approximately right angles to each other.

14. A support for cameras and other articles, comprising a head, hinged legs for the head, connections between the legs, a member having vertical and rotary movement relatively to said head, means for establishing a. fixed relation between the said leg connections and the said member, and devices carried by said member for holding the camera or other article to be supported, said devices including means adjustable in two directions at approximately right angles. Y

15. vThe combination with a head, of a shaft movable therein, a member mounted to swing upon the shaft, a second member mountedto swing upon the first member' at an angle thereto, and a carrier secured to the second member.

16. The combination with ahead, of a shaft carried thereby, a segment-plate pivotally mounted upon the shaft, and a carrier supported upon the segment-plate.

17. A support for a camera or the like, embodying two segmental members disposed one above the other in different upright planes, each member having an arched slot therein and pivoted on a support at the radial center of a respective slot, and means for holding each segmental member at a desired point o! adjusuiu-nt.

18. A support for a camera or the like, embodying two segna ntal plate-like members disposed one above the other in different upright planes, each member having an arched bodying a legged head-plate, a shaft slidable.

in an opening in the head-plate, an apertured running-box loosely mounted on the shaft, a

gib-plate held in the aperture of the box, and

a set-screw bearing on thegib-plate for clamping the box upon the shaftM 20. In a camera-support, means for releasably securing the head-plate of a tripod in engagement with a grooved camera-supporting shaftt comprising a spring-pressed lockingbolt held to slide' upon the head-plate so as to engage a groove in the shaft, and means for retraeting the bolt against stress of the spring.

21. In 'a camera-support, means for releasably securing the head-plate of a tripod in engagement with an upright multiple-grooved camera-su pportingshafr comprisinga springpressed locking-bolt held to slide upon the head-plate so asto engage either groove in said shaft. a cam formation on the head-plate, and a lever extended from the bolt for engagement with the cam and retracting said bolt against stress of the spring.

22, in a camera-support, means for releasably securing the headplatc of a tripod in engagement with an upright multiple-grooved aimera-supporting shaft. comprising a locking-bolt heldto slide upon the head-plate so as to engage one end in either groove in the shaft, a coiled spring mounted on the bolt and adapted to press said bolt toward the shaft, a transverse handle on the other end of the bolt, and a cam formation on the head-plate which the handle will ride upon {vhen rocked laterally and retract the bolt.

23. In a camera-sup porting tripod comprising legs hinged upon a head-plate,an upright shaft movable in the head-plate, a runnerbox mounted on the shaft that loosely passes through an opening in said runner box,

' stretcher-rods jointed at the ends on the runner-box and legs, and means for holding the runner-box secured on the shaft, comprising a gib-plate held loosel)- in a channel formed in the opening and held therein, and a set screw adapted to prf-: upon the plate for clamping it against the shaft.

24. A camera-support comprising a tripod, a device whereon the camera is mounted and held adjustable in two vertical planes at right angles to each other. means for vertically adjusting, rotating and holding said'device on a' tripod, and coacting means for spreading or folding the legs of the tripod.

IOO

25. camera-support comprising a tripod, 4

a shaft adjustable for height on the head of the tripod, two segment-plates held to rock at right angles and one above the other on the ment.

upper portion -of the shaft.- a hase-plate on 26.' ln a camerwsupport. a tripod comprising a head-plate having a boss thereon that is axially perforated` a depending shaft. adjust,- able in the perforation, legs'pivotej by upper ends on the head-plate1 a runner-box adjustable on the shaft, connecting-rods held to roel-z at their upper ends on the runner-box, and means for loosely securing the lower ends of said rods upon the tripod-legs.

2T. In a camera-support, a tripod comprisinga head-plate. an uprightaxially-perfnrated boss thereon, a grooved shaft' slidahle in the boss. a looking-holt held to slide at one side of the boss and insertible in either groove, means for retracting and holding the bolt retracted, legs held to swing by one end on the head-plane` a runner-box sldable and securable on the shaft, clip-bands on the legs` and connecting-rods pivoted at their upper ends on the runner-box, and at their lower' ends upon the clip-hands.

28. A camera-support, comprising a tripod having a head-plateand an axially-perforated boss thereon1 a. grooved shaft slidable in the boss, a springpressed locking-bolt supported on the boss and working laterally therethrough so as to engage its inner end in einher groove in the shaft, means for retreating and holding the holtv retracted, legs pivoted by upper ends on the head-plate, a runner-box on the shaft slidahle below the head-plate, a set-screw holt in the runner-box which by adjustment adapts the shaft for holding the box stationary, ciipbands on the legs equally spaced from the head-plate, connecting-rods of equa length pirated at their upper ends on the runner-box at spaced intervals, and at their lower ends pivoted upon the clip-bands, a segment-plate having an arched slot, and pi'roted at the radial center of said slot on an upward flattened 'extension of Lhegrooved shaft. an upwardly-projected arm on the segllhHI-plate'disporsed atY a right angle thereto, KNHS engaging the arched slot and .the arm for :ldjnsiab'iy securing the segmenoplate at a desired point of rocked adjustment; a simi lady-slotted segment-plate pivobed on the upminllpprojected arm an the radial center of lln slot` means engaging said slot and the arm for securing said segment-plate rocked at a desired inclination. a hase-plate extended laterally from the upper segmentplate. and a Sebscrew in the inseplate for holdinga camera thereon.

29; In a cameravsupport, @he combination w'h'a tripod having a head-plate, an upright perforated boss thereon# sping-pressedlocking-holt on one side of the boss` an'd a grooved shaft slidahle in the boss 1nd adapted to receive the holt. in ang` groove therein, said shaft having n flattened upward extension` of a segment-plate having an arched slot and piroted nl the radial center of said slot on the upward exhnsion of the shaft., a clamping-holt. passing through the slot and screwing into a tapped lloh in the shaft extension, Said clamping-boit having a leverhandle on one end, an upwimllyxtended arm on this segment-plate, said ar'm being disposed in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the segmentfplate it. is formed on, another segment-plate having an arched slot and piroted upon the arm an the radial center of the arched sloil in said plete, means for adjustably secu ring the upper seglnent-plate upon the arm. a basplate p'rcwird laterally and horizontally on the upper porkion of the upper segment-plate, and a setfscrew in said base-plate for holding a camera thereon.

ln testimony whereof 1 have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 

